Richmond’s three consecutive elimination final defeats from 2013-15 had no adverse effect on the current Tigers’ playing group heading into last night’s qualifying final against Geelong at the MCG, according to the Club’s dependable defender Dylan Grimes.

There was a fair bit made in the media about Richmond’s recent finals record, and how negative thoughts potentially could creep into the minds of the players, inhibiting their performance.

The Tigers, however, dispelled any doubts in emphatic style, defeating their September-seasoned opponents by 51 points.

“A lot of the hype about previous experiences in finals was really external.  I don’t think the players had been as relaxed for any other final as they were for this game,” Grimes said on SEN’s ‘Crunch Time’. 

“It was a really good feeling around the Club. 

“We were confident in our process, confident in our game plan and, really, all we had to do was replicate what we had been doing throughout the season pretty consistently. 

“So we were really excited about the opportunity, and to do it in front of such a massive crowd was one of the best experiences of my playing career, for sure.”

Grimes revealed how the Tigers had become such a tight-knit group this year – a key factor in their success.

“We’ve invested more in our people, our culture and the relationships within our team more so than we have in any other year of playing at Richmond in my time,” he said.

“‘Dimma’ (coach Damien Hardwick) had a character-first policy, when recruiting both staff, coaches and players, and started that when he first came in. 

“We’ve now had a full turnover of our list since Dimma’s come in, and I think that process of only recruiting great people, and then building the relationships with one another, has been what’s set us apart. 

“At the moment, I feel like we’re working as a team and have never been more connected on-field with what we’re doing.

“We’re just celebrating each other’s company, and the scoreboard seems to be ticking over . . .

“We’ve enjoyed our time together, right even before the JLT (pre-season) series began.”